#TurksandCaicos, December 11, 2017 – Providenciales – An unfair dismissal claim adds to the ongoing saga of management upheaval at the country’s Ports Authority, with the former Human Resources Manager – Jameka Williams stating that she was wrongfully terminated in May 2017.
Williams reached out to Magnetic Media, she said, only after repeated attempts to be heard and vindicated by country leaders whom she believes is taking a hands-off approach to her matter.
Letters to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Premier and the Board have brought no results for the Turks and Caicos Islander, who believes her termination by recently suspended Ports Authority Director, Andy Robinson is an act of victimization.
Williams said the firing came all of a sudden, there were no warning letters to her and four attempts at conciliation at the Labour Department – initiated by her – only resulted in no-shows by Robinson and the Board governing the Ports. Ms. Williams said prior to the termination, she did try to get help for alleged breaches to staff policy by Robinson; her efforts with other staff were fruitless and ended up being one of the reasons for termination listed in the final letter we were shown by the mother of four.
Ms. Williams considers it a violation of her constitutional and human rights.
Magnetic Media has reached out to the Attorney General, to the chairman of the Ports Authority Board and to the Finance Minister and Premier.
Premier Sharlene Robinson is the only reply so far, she said: “I am not at liberty to discuss this matter as I am aware that lawyers have become involved from both sides.”
Williams said she met twice with the Premier on the issue, that she spoke the Attorney General Rhondalee Knowles via email and the Board has ignored her pleas to be heard and to consider that she was terminated in contravention of the Ports Authority Staff Policy and Procedures.
Williams said section 2.19 clearly lays out how an employee should be released from the organization. The first glaring rule in the policy for termination is that the Board has to do it. Jameka Williams says it was Andy Robinson who terminated her.
Jameka Williams is among staff members, she reports, who had issues with Director Robinson who has been charged by Police with fraud following a joint investigation with the Integrity Commission.
The wrongful dismissal, says Williams needs to end with her getting her job back and being compensated for lost salary. She is taking the matter to court; her attorney is DonHue Gardiner.
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